


you and i will always be the dream

by moonbeamlex



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: M/M, Office Party, Ugly Holiday Sweaters, a ridiculous misuse of mistletoe, but the only one that matters in the end is martin, everyone gets to kiss jon in this one, jon is forced to accept that he does have a holiday spirit, martin is jewish, nonspooky au where jon loves his coworkers, or more like season 4 jon but without the trauma, so maybe a bit out of character, tim wears a mistletoe headband
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-28
Updated: 2019-12-28
Packaged: 2021-02-25 01:13:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22007524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonbeamlex/pseuds/moonbeamlex
Summary: jon is "forced" into attending the institute's holiday party. literally all of his coworkers attack him with mistletoe. he feels like he should be more upset about this than he really is.
Relationships: Martin Blackwood/Jonathan Sims
Comments: 19
Kudos: 383
Collections: tma fics





	you and i will always be the dream

**Author's Note:**

> okay so there's obviously some consent issues involved with mistletoe, but i tried to rectify that as much as i could by making it clear that jon is fine with it, really, just huffy. because he's jon, and that's who he is. this is nonspooky because i want them all to be happy and they're all friends before it starts. 
> 
> i really just wanted to write something super fluffy and fun because they deserve it?? also, this is kinda a christmas present for june. merry christmas, enjoy your tim content! 
> 
> i know it's after christmas. leave me alone. literally did not edit or proofread it at all, bc that's not very punk rock. i wrote it and now i am publishing it, as life demands of me. 
> 
> title from the bad list by z berg & ryan ross.

Jon blamed Elias. He did that for most things, honestly, he was aware of that, but this new personal slight against him, specifically, was definitely Elias’ fault. He had completely forgotten about the party, honestly. Sure, it was more...cold outside than usual, flurries of snow had gotten stuck in his hair and the collar of his coat, and Georgie had been texting him more than normal but. That was all that the holidays really meant to Jon. He was still trying to  _ work _ . 

He was, apparently, the only one. The day of the office holiday party, Jon arrived at the Institute and immediately walked into a strand of tinsel that was dangling from the doorway. He sneezed from the way it tickled his nose and then glanced around the reception area, trying to decide who to blame for this new misfortune. The only person he could see was the receptionist, smiling cheerfully at him, and wearing…was that a necklace of flashing lights? 

He blinked at her, and then abruptly turned away. Ever since his...well, promotion, he hadn’t spent much time with the rest of the office, anyway. He could take solace in his office, in the basement, and ignore the tacky holiday decorations and Christmas music that seemed to be taking over the rest of the building. 

...Or, that had been his plan. Until he had descended the stairs and run straight into Tim Stoker, wearing an ugly Christmas sweater with the Grinch on his chest and a headband with a wire protruding from the fabric, green leaves dangling from the other edge of the wire. Jon felt his heart drop, as Tim’s smile widened. “Good morning, boss!” Tim crowed, before pointing up at the plant. “Caught you!” 

He didn’t give Jon time to duck away before leaning in and pressing a firm kiss to Jon’s cheek. Jon scowled at him, but didn’t shove him away. “Everyone gets three strikes,” Tim explained, as Jon rubbed idly at his cheek, “one on the cheek, one on the neck, and one on the lips.” 

Jon rolled his eyes, shaking his head (maybe a  _ little _ fondly, although he’d never admit it) and lightly pressed a hand against Tim’s chest to get past him. “You’re going to get yourself in trouble, Tim,” he said as he made his way into the archives proper. He glanced around, trying not to visibly show his annoyance that the holiday decorations had followed him down the stairs. 

“If you’re okay with it,” Tim called behind him as he continued his way up the stairs to the Institute proper, “I doubt anyone else won’t be!” 

Jon watched him go, and then turned back around and made his way to his office. Thankfully, although there was tinsel on the outside of the doorframe, no one had dared to touch Jon’s office. He took off his coat, throwing it over the back of one of the spare chairs, before finally sinking down at his desk and pulling out his laptop. 

He was allowed to work uninterrupted for about an hour before Sasha showed up. She didn’t bother knocking, bumping Jon’s door open with her hip. She had her arms full, a tray of what looked to be coffee in one arm and a box in the other. “Happy holidays, Jon,” she said, smiling down at him. Jon studied her, feeling a small blush rise up to his cheeks as he did so. She was wearing a...well, not a  _ Father Christmas _ outfit but…similar. A female Father Christmas outfit, maybe? It was...well, Sasha wasn’t an  _ unattractive _ woman, of course, and it was so far from her normal work clothes, it was probably just that Jon was  _ surprised _ . 

He cleared his throat, turning his head away, and nodded at her. “You too,” he mumbled. 

Sasha looked amused as she placed a warm cardboard cup on his desk. “Cocoa,” she told him, before he could ask. “And cookies. Pick your poison,” she said, shimmying to get the box in her arms open. There were different holiday shapes, ranging from a Christmas tree to a bottle of champagne, and Jon hesitated looking at them. He wasn’t usually truly  _ fond _ of sweets but…

He stood from his chair and picked a penguin out of the box. “Thank you,” he said, placing the cookie carefully on top of a folder of statements. “You look nice, by the way,” he added, after a brief moment of hesitation. 

Sasha beamed at him and did a small twirl, careful not to spill anything. “I’m glad you think so,” she said. “There’s enough mistletoe all over the place today that I thought I should look extra nice today. Tim said he already got you once?” Jon merely grumbled in response, which made Sasha smile. “Just wait,” she warned, but it sounded more warm than ominous. 

Jon didn’t want to just wait. 

“By the way, Elias is going to come down here and demand you come to the holiday party instead of working through it,” she added as she was making her way back out of his office. Jon let out a real groan at that, dropping his head down onto his arms on the desk. “Suck it up, Jon, you’re going to have to spend the afternoon with us.” 

Jon didn’t respond, and Sasha’s laugh followed her out the door. It was a few moments later that Jon actually looked up, now alone, and studied the cookie. It was sugar based, probably, and the frosting was...cute. He only hesitated a second before taking a bite, and was genuinely surprised when he...didn’t hate it.    
  
It was sweet, true, but warm and seemed to melt in his mouth. He followed it up with a drink of the cocoa, and couldn’t help but smile. Okay, maybe he could go with a  _ little _ holiday cheer. The cocoa was warm, and  _ chocolatey… _

It was a nice addition to the morning, Jon accepted, as he went back to work. 

It was around noon when Jon realized that something felt...off. He stretched in his chair, putting the laptop lid down for a tiny break, because his eyes were starting to strain and his mind had started to wander. There were crumbs on one of his files that he scowled at, briefly, before brushing them off his desk. The empty cocoa cup also had to go, finding its way into the trash can across Jon’s office. Jon was trying to think about  _ what _ exactly felt off about the day, why he hadn’t stayed in his usual work induced focus, if maybe it was all down to the unusual morning, when the door opened. 

Jon looked up, expecting to see Martin, and  _ oh _ , that was  _ it _ , Martin hadn’t stopped by to say hello or bring him tea, but...well, the person in the doorway was not exactly the man Jon had been expecting. “Hello, Elias,” he said, voice resigned. 

“Good morning, Jon,” Elias said, smiling warmly at him. “We will be requiring your presence upstairs this afternoon, I’m afraid.” Sasha had warned him about this, which was the only reason he wasn’t snapping at his boss and trying to turn back to work. Honestly, Jon wasn’t...too put out at the idea of spending the afternoon with the archives staff it was just…

“You know I’m not a fan of office parties,” he said, warily, even as he was standing up, ready to follow Elias out of the archives. 

Elias chuckled, placing a hand on Jon’s back and using it to guide him in front of him. Jon tried not to scowl. “Please, Jon, you have to interact with the rest of your coworkers at some point, it might as well be the holidays.” Jon didn’t understand  _ why _ that was the case, but he also didn’t feel like arguing. Instead, he made his way up the stairs and into one of the conference rooms that had apparently been put aside as a party space. 

He was stopped when he was entering the room, Elias’ hand on his arm. Jon turned to look at him, confused, and watched as Elias tilted his head up towards the door frame. Jon followed with his eyes, and saw the same green plant that Tim had been wearing earlier. 

Of course. 

“Let’s get this over with,” he said, sighing, before leaning up on the tips of his toes to press a quick kiss to Elias’ lips.

Elias smiled against the kiss, and continued looking pleased even as Jon pulled back. “That’s the holiday spirit, Jonathan,” he said, letting go of his arm to finally let him walk into the office party. Jon couldn’t help but feel like people were staring at him. He scanned the crowd, wanting to get away from Elias’...weird feeling of  _ pride _ towards him for playing along, and finally spotted a shock of curly red hair. 

Martin. 

He  _ was _ here today. And where Martin was, Tim and Sasha probably were as well. Jon wove his way through the crowds, noticing that he was one of the very few people  _ not _ in festive clothing, and finally came to a stop in front of the other archive staff. 

Martin had red lipstick on his cheek, a similar shade to the one Sasha was wearing, and a blue sweater. Jon frowned at the sweater, reading the text (Challah at ya boy!) and then looked up at Martin’s face. He was blushing. “I didn’t know you were Jewish,” he blurted out, and then shook himself. That probably wasn’t the best thing to say.

Martin just laughed, though, raising the glass of eggnog in his hand towards Jon. “Hello to you, too,” he teased. “It’s nice to see you here, Jon.” 

Jon nodded at him, still feeling a bit awkward for the greeting, when he suddenly felt two warm bodies pressed against either side of him. “Well hello there,” Tim purred at him, from his left side, while Sasha wrapped her arms around his waist from his right. Martin was watching, seemingly amused, and Jon looked up. Of course. Tim was still wearing the headband. “Strike two!” Tim said, before leaning in and pressing a kiss to Jon’s neck. It made Jon shiver. Sasha didn’t say anything, simply pressing a kiss to Jon’s cheek at the same time. 

“They did that to me, too,” Martin said, pointing at the lipstick stain on his cheek and smiling. There was something in his eyes, something that seemed...a little off with the smile on his face, but Jon didn’t press. Instead, he turned a (mostly put upon) glare at his two assailants. They were both beaming at him, similar looks of mischief on their faces. Tim, adding to his long list of crimes, ruffled Jon’s hair. 

Jon looked away. Martin was holding a second glass of eggnog now, and offered it to Jon. “There’s rum in there,” he warned, but that just made Jon snatch it faster. 

“Are we really supposed to be drinking at an office party,” he asked, only after he had taken his first drink.

“Nope,” Sasha said, from her place leaning back against Tim’s chest. “We snuck that in ourselves. Figured Elias wouldn’t mind, if it was us. His crush on you really helps us out.” 

Jon was not the only one scowling at that. “This feels like potential for a human resources disaster,” Jon mumbled under his breath. 

“What makes you think that?” Tim asked, fake affronted. “What’s some mistletoe kisses amongst friends, Jonathan? Besides, you look good with that color on your cheeks.” Tim threw in a wink, and Jon didn’t know if he was talking about the lipstick or the way he was blushing slightly. He threw a rude hand gesture towards Tim instead of responding, making Tim laugh. 

Jon didn’t feel the need to stray away from the three other archive assistants, but other people came up to talk to them as the afternoon went on. Tim, Martin, and Sasha all seemed to know everyone, chatting away and asking about family and pets and terrible blind dates. Every once in awhile, Tim would pull someone into a kiss, usually making them swat at his arm fondly after. It was clear that one or two were clearly head over heels for the man and couldn’t help being flustered afterword. Jon felt for them. 

Jon stayed mostly quiet, nodding his hello at people who acknowledged him first, keeping to his drink and standing beside Martin. Their shoulders were pressed together, and it made all of Jon feel warm. Well, maybe that was the rum in the eggnog. Either way, it was pleasant, and Jon honestly didn’t feel put out about being there, in that moment, rather than down in the archives on his computer. 

Jon finally ducked away from the group, promising he’d be right back when Martin turned wide eyes at him, so he could make his way to the bathroom. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, deciding to check his emails while he was at it (although, honestly, what he had been expecting when the entire staff of the institute were currently squeezed into a conference room and making merry with each other). 

On his way back to the conference room, he was trapped once again in the doorway, accidentally running into someone much taller than him. The blue of the sweater the other person was wearing was a helpful hint, but what really gave him away was the small noise of surprise Martin had made. 

Jon looked up at him, slowly, meeting his eyes. He knew what was above them. He had already been in this situation once, but this was...well, it felt much different under the mistletoe with Martin than it did with Elias. Martin was flushed, hair a little bit wild from the way Tim and Sasha had been manhandling him earlier, and he cleared his throat when his eyes met Jon’s. “Um,” he said, hands fluttering a little. “I was just...well, we can uh. We don’t have to.” 

Jon couldn’t help but smile at that. Martin was the first person all day who had actually told him he had a choice. He knew that he did, had never really felt  _ trapped _ , knew Elias wouldn’t be angry if he had stomped away and Tim wouldn’t have minded if he had put a hand up to stop him, had given him time to duck away, but the fact that Martin was  _ giving him that out _ . It was nice. 

It was very Martin.

Jon put a hand on the back of Martin’s neck, pulling him down so their foreheads pressed together. “It’s mistletoe,” he said, trying to keep his voice sounding matter of fact and professional, “it’s a tradition.” 

Martin’s eyes were still wide when Jon pressed their lips together. 

Jon hadn’t been expecting a  _ spark _ , hadn’t been expecting Martin to immediately take control of the kiss, to gently press him back against the door frame and kiss him  _ deeper _ , but he also couldn’t bring himself to mind. Instead, he tangled a hand in Martin’s ridiculous sweater, keeping one around his neck, and held on. 

It was much too soon when Martin pulled back, Jon thought, but. But of course, they were standing in the doorway of a room, a room the  _ entire institute was in _ , and there was nothing wrong with a little mistletoe between friends, like Tim had been saying, but that kiss…

Well. 

Jon would have to follow up on that at a later date. 

“Come on,” he said, nudging Martin’s arm with his own, “Tim and Sasha are probably waiting for us.” 

Martin was still staring at him, but when their arms touched, a wide smile came onto his face. He nodded, helping Jon make his way through the crowded room with a touch on the small of his back. The touch almost mirrored the one from Elias earlier, and Jon couldn’t believe how different it made him feel.

He added that to the file in his head, labeled “Things I Know About Martin”, joining the way he made tea for Jon and how it always tasted better than the tea Jon made for himself and the stupid Hannukah sweater he wore, and the way he kissed, and the way his glasses often slipped won his nose...

Much to think about. 

Tim and Sasha  _ were _ waiting for them. The party continued on, but this time, when Martin pressed his shoulder into Jon’s as he chatted with the receptionist, who was still wearing that awful necklace, about a recipe for some dish involving potatoes, Jon felt a little swell of courage that led him to tanging their fingers together. Martin paused, briefly, a surprised look on his face, but Jon simply squeezed their hands and the look of surprise turned into a smile as he continued his conversation. 

It was when everyone was getting to leave, and Jon was trying to snag another cup of eggnog, that Tim cornered him a third time. “Not again,” Jon all but whined, frowning up at Tim. 

Tim smiled. “Third strike,” he said, his voice a sing song. Tim turned around, where Martin was watching them. “Permission to kiss your boy, Martin?”  _ Your _ boy? Jon felt like he should feel upset about that, not...warmly pleasant. 

Martin was scowling. “I will ignore you for a week, Timothy Stoker,” Martin threatened. 

Jon thought he looked cute with a scowl on his face. “That is a punishment I am willing to take,” Tim said, seriously, stoically, before turning back to Jon. He raised an eyebrow, smiling again, with a quirked eyebrow. “Well, what about it, boss? It’s mistletoe, and as I’ve heard, that’s a tradition.”    


Jon rolled his eyes, but nodded his head. “Alright, get it over with,” he said, using the hand not holding the eggnog to take grip of Tim’s shoulder. Tim smiled even wider, before ducking down and kissing Jon. 

There wasn’t a spark, like with Martin. But it was...nice. Jon hadn’t been kissed this many times in a day in...well, since university, since he and Georgie had been in their honeymoon phase. He supposed he was maybe a little bit touch starved, a little bit drunk on affection for his coworkers and the holiday spirit he normally did not have and maybe even a little bit from the spiked eggnog. 

Martin was the one who cleared his throat and made Tim pull away. “That’s enough, loverboy,” he said, still scowling, but he didn’t sound  _ angry _ . Just put out. Tim ruffled his hair, one more time, and Martin tried his best to duck away. “Nope,” he said, but the scowl was replaced by a firm press of his lips, as if he was trying to hide a smile. “You heard the consequences, Stoker, now you have to deal with them. I’ll see you next Friday.”    
  
Tim was whining about something, but Jon had tuned him out. He was focused on Martin. Martin and Tim bickered back and forth a little bit more before Sasha put a hand on Tim’s shoulder to lead him away, and Martin must have finally felt Jon’s eyes on him, as he turned around and made eye contact. 

Jon smiled. “Let me go get my things,” he said, “and then let’s go out and get some dinner. All I’ve eaten today is that sugar cookie from Sasha.”   
  
Martin looked appalled, shaking his head, starting to lecture Jon about the  _ importance of proper meals, Jon, really! _ but Jon wasn’t really paying attention. Martin hadn’t said no. And by the way he was following Jon down to his office, bumping their shoulders together while they walked, even while he lectured, Jon was pretty sure that instead, Martin was saying yes. 

Happy holidays indeed.

**Author's Note:**

> hope u liked it! 
> 
> come catch me yelling on twitter & tumblr @ myhistoryread


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